Kaixin - That is what we observe as well. Many Australian we speak to (and remember I, Graeme, am Australian) know little about China. They still think of in terms of the Cultural Revolution. They see it as a grey country of oppressed people.

Most Australians are heavily influenced by the cold war rhetoric, the Korean War, the Vietnam war and the strident anti-communist western press which reports all issues with a "superiority complex" (this can readily be verified by scanning Kaixin's daily news summary). The Australian education system teaches very little about China. Most schools are still back in the 1990's and proudly proclaim to Xiaosui that they teach Japanese. Showing that they are both out of date and abysmally ignorant about history. So, Australia's youth knows very little about China. This, fortunately, is changing.

After the 2008 Olympics, the Western visual media moved on from Tiananmen Square and showed Beijing as an advanced international city. Many people in Australia now feel threatened and have reverted to viewing China through the lens of the ‘yellow peril’.

This is why Kaixin hopes to present a different perspective on China. One of colour and light as was expressed in the excellent essay, 'An exercise in colouring in' :

Why not China?’ she (the author's daughter who was about to travel to China) repeats.

‘Because,’ I cast about for a metaphor to explain, and seize upon the colouring book that my five year old is busy over. ‘Because when I think of China I see nothing reassuring, nothing familiar, no colour. Only grey. People dressed in grey, shoulders stooped, heading into grey factory smoke, or shuffling home in grey twilight to grey flats.’

When I think of China now, I see images of vibrant colour. Warm smiles of welcome; rich architecture; children bubbling with excitement.

That is the China Kaixin wants to bring you, '... images of vibrant colour. Warm smiles of welcome; rich architecture; children bubbling with excitement.'